Last Dogs of Winter, The (ATOM Study Guide)

Canadian Eskimo dogs, or qimmiq, used to be indispensible to the people of the Canadian Arctic. Now they are the rarest registered breed of dog in the world and face extinction. A handful of people have fought to protect the dogs. Brian Ladoon is one of these people.

Beyond the town boundaries of Churchill, a tiny and isolated community on the shores of Hudson Bay in Canada's frozen north, Brian Ladoon has established a sanctuary for Canadian Eskimo dogs. On a pocket of Crown land, Ladoon – with the help of a very small team of employees and volunteers – works year-round to preserve the breed.

Ladoon began breeding Canadian Eskimo dogs in 1976. A friend at that time, Bishop Omer Robidoux, had told Brian about the plight of the Inuit dogs and suggested that he was just the man to save the species from extinction.

The work is rewarding but fraught with challenges and obstacles. The natural environment is harsh, and all the more so in the winter, when Ladoon and his team encounter migratory polar bears and curious tourists, as they care for the dogs. They also battle government officials, mounting debt and community disapproval. Ladoon's determination to save the endangered species is admirable.

The Last Dogs of Winter is also the story of Caleb Ross, an adventurous New Zealander who has come to share Ladoon's passion for the dogs. When Ross found himself in a Toronto hostel out of love and a long way from home, he answered an advertisement that read: 'Come to Churchill. Breed Eskimo dogs. See Polar Bears.' He thought that he would stay for a month. A month turned into another month and Ross has now spent three years supporting Ladoon's cause.

Ladoon has never forgotten the promise he made more than thirty years ago to Robidoux. He has devoted his life to caring for Canadian Eskimo dogs and thanks to his efforts the species has been brought back from the brink of extinction.

The Last Dogs of Winter is suitable for students in Years 11–12 undertaking:

• English and English Extension
• Film, Television and New Media
• Geography
• Study of Society
• Biology
• Science

The Last Dogs of Winter is suitable for students in Years 7–10 undertaking English, Media, Studies of Society and the Environment (Years 7–9), Geography (Year 10) and Science.